University Communications » Internal Communications » TrailBlazer » TrailBlazer 07-10-2012

Shakeela Hunter

Student financial literacy director appointed

Shakeela Hunter has been named UT Arlington's first director of student financial literacy.

Hunter will help shape the University’s new Student Money Management Center, which provides students the opportunity to learn how to manage budgets and debt, save, prevent identity theft, and plan for retirement, all before they earn their college degree.

The initiative is part of UT Arlington’s ongoing efforts to ensure student success. It also follows a 2011 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rule directing general academic institutions to offer students training in personal financial literacy and provide students the knowledge and skills they need to make important financial decisions.

Hunter, formerly of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, helped launch Illinois' Student Money Management Center in the Student Financial Services office in 2010 to assist the university’s students with their personal financial needs.

Read more about the new director of student financial literacy.

Formula for success: Cars in the Texas Autocross are designed, built, and raced by students from UT Arlington and other universities.

University hosts Texas Autocross

Ready for some high-speed racecar action? On July 14-15, UT Arlington will host the 12th annual Texas Autocross Weekend. Admission is free and open to the public.

Top cars designed and built by student members of the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers will compete for bragging rights on two different autocross tracks on Lot 49 near Cooper and Mitchell streets. The competition measures speed and precision.

The public festivities begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 14. For the first time, Texas Autocross Weekend will include a formal Sports Car Club of America race on campus, rather than relocating to Pennington Field in Bedford as in years past. The SCCA event is set for 10 a.m. Sunday, July 15, on Lot 49.

Among the UTA Racing entries is the H11, a hybrid car project two years in the making. In May the car won the GM Best-Engineered Hybrid Award at the international 2012 Formula Hybrid competition at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

"If you've never seen this kind of racing, you will be amazed. These cars are fast," says Bob Woods, professor of mechanical engineering and team adviser of UTA Racing.

See a review of the 2011 Texas Autocross Weekend.

Legal legend: Dr. Michael Moore is the first recipient of an award named in his honor by the State Bar of Texas.

Undergraduate dean recognized for legal work with poor

Michael Moore, dean of undergraduate studies and a senior vice provost, has been named the first recipient of an award created in his honor by the State Bar of Texas.

The Michael K. Moore Award for Research and Writing in the Area of Indigent Defense is to be awarded July 23 in San Antonio at the State Bar of Texas' annual Advanced Criminal Law Course.

Dr. Moore says the honor is among the highlights of his career. He served for 15 years on the Committee on Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters, during which he worked without compensation to produce pivotal research and writing that helped provide low-income residents in Texas with proper legal representation.

Read more about the new Michael K. Moore Award.

Abram Street project closes road

Abram Street will be closed between Cooper Street on the east and Thornton Street on the west. The closure is for two weeks starting Monday, July 23, for pavement improvements. Use Main Street and UTA Boulevard as the alternate routes.

Celebrate freedom Mavericks celebrated our country's independence in the 47th Annual Arlington 4th of July Parade. The Deakyne family and friends have sponsored the UT Arlington float for 12 years. Jeannie Deakyne (BA '98) and her husband William were married July 4, 2001, and sponsored a wedding float in the parade that year. She is manager of learning and development in Human Resources and an adjunct professor of military science.

Early voting on campus July 24-26 for runoff elections

UT Arlington is an early voting site 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, July 24-26, for the Tuesday, July 31, primary runoff elections.

Polling site is at the Maverick Activities Center, just inside the entrance.

The University also will serve as an early voting site Oct. 29-Nov. 2 for the Nov. 6 general election.

For more information on early voting, see votetexas.gov and Tarrant County elections.

No July meeting for Mavs Book Club

Mavs Book Club will not meet in July. Next scheduled meeting is at noon Friday, Aug. 10, at the University Club in Davis Hall.

Get tickets now for UT Arlington's own Six Flags Day in August

Go higher and go faster with more than 50 thrilling rides at UT Arlington Six Flags Day on Sunday, Aug. 26, at Six Flags Over Texas.

Discount tickets for students are $25 each with a limit of 10 tickets per person. Tickets include admission to Six Flags, parking, and a "splash back" ticket to Hurricane Harbor. Get tickets at utatickets.com.

Enjoy the fun at the park starting at 10:30 a.m. or come 6-9 p.m. when it's the UT Arlington-only crowd.

The event is open to the UT Arlington community and is sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs.

Sign up for strength training course

The Weight/Strength Training class at the Maverick Activities Center teaches proper lifting techniques, basic exercises for each muscle group, human anatomy as it relates to your workout goals, and how to structure workouts to reach your goals.

Sign up for the course, which is 1-2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays July 10-Aug. 16. Class price is $120.

For more information contact Jeremy at jroden@uta.edu.

The big picture The Planetarium's massive screen helped physics Associate Professor Jae Yu explain the discovery of the subatomic particle called the Higgs boson, or "God particle." Also weighing in on the topic were physics professors Andrew Brandt and Chris Jackson. The scientists are part of a larger U.S. team working on the ATLAS particle physics experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s biggest and most powerful particle accelerator.

Housing open at The Heights on Pecan

There are still some apartments open at The Heights on Pecan for the fall semester. This community, located at 1225 S. Pecan St., was purchased by the University and features only furnished apartments.

Tour the model rooms 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday. Preview the community page, rates, and floor plans.

For questions, call 817-272-2791 or email housing@uta.edu.

Discount tickets reserved for students for Passion Pit performance Sept. 14

Discounted tickets for 500 students are reserved for the Passion Pit concert at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 14, at College Park Center.

Tickets are on sale at www.utacollegepark.com; the Box Office at College Park Center, 601 S. Pecan St.; or by calling 817-272-9595.

Ticket prices range from $21.50 to $29.50. A $5.50 service fee will be added to each ticket. UT Arlington students are eligible for a $5 discount on one ticket while quantities last.

Passion Pit has won praise for “Take a Walk,” the first single from its upcoming Gossamer album, available July 24.

Read more about the Passion Pit concert.

Impact of dropping classes

Impact of dropping on undergraduate students: Students who entered college for the first time in fall 2007 are limited to a total of six dropped courses during their undergraduate career. Read more about this state law and procedures for its implementation at UT Arlington.

Impact of dropping if you receive financial aid: Students receiving financial aid must meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements established by UT Arlington. Refer to the SAP policy on the Office of Financial Aid website, uta.edu/fao, to ensure that you are meeting the requirements. Students who do not meet the minimum standards outlined will lose eligibility to receive financial aid. For questions, make an appointment to see a financial aid counselor by calling 817-272-3561 or sending an email to fao@uta.edu.

Summer I grades available Friday

Summer I grades are scheduled to be available after noon Friday, July 13. View grades by logging in at uta.edu/mymav. Click on Student Center and then click on the drop-down box under Other Academic. Many grades can be viewed before they are official, so check Records and Registration to ensure that your grades are official before ordering your transcript.

Plan now for summer II session

Summer II classes begin today, Tuesday, July 10. Late registration for summer II is July 10-11. For summer II session classes, the last day to drop is Tuesday, July 31. All grade exclusion requests for the summer term must be submitted by 5 p.m. July 31.

Grade exclusion requests

On Tuesday, July 31, the grade exclusion site will close for any further submissions for the summer term. All grade exclusion requests submitted in the summer term must be submitted by 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 31. The grade exclusion site will be reopened on Sept. 11 for fall submissions.

Register for fall 2012

Registration for the fall term is continuing through Aug. 22. Late registration for fall is Aug. 23-29.

Registration timetables are online. To determine if you need advisor clearance, check your portal page at MyMav and click on Student Center. You will see a section on the right titled Holds. Click the details link for specific hold information. If your academic department requires advising, you will see an academic department service indicator (hold).

A list of advising offices is online. Check the fall schedule of classes.

Thursday, July 12

Outdoor Movie: The Hunger Games Enjoy free popcorn or buy soft drinks and snacks at the concession stand. Bring a blanket or chair for the lawn seating. Children under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Free. 9 p.m., west lawn, Maverick Activities Center. Also Think Like A Man, July 19, and The Pirates! Band of Misfits, July 26. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Ongoing

897 Square Exhibit features artists who live and/or work in Tarrant County. Free. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesday, Saturdays; 4-8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Fort Worth Center. Through Tuesday, July 31. Gallery 76102.

Texas 'Identity' Politics: 1900-Present See how politics have become intertwined with our identities through different groups advocating for their civil rights in relation to various aspects of their identities, such as worker, mother, or citizen. Free. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, sixth floor, Central Library. Through Saturday, Aug. 11. Special Collections.

Texas Rangers Baseball Get discount tickets for students, faculty, staff, alumni, family, and friends. Access texasrangers.com/uta and use the password MAVS12 for designated games through Wednesday, Sept. 26.

India Unveiled: The Photography of Robert Arnett A collection of images highlighting the diversity of India and its various regions. Free. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, sixth floor parlor, Central Library. Through Jan. 5, 2013. Special Collections.

Planetarium Enjoy a '60s style laser light show set to the music of Pink Floyd. 7 p.m. Saturdays. Planetarium.

(For an expanded list of events, see the UT Arlington Calendar.)

Wednesday, July 11	Arlington Technology Association Pranesh Aswath, right, professor of materials science and engineering, presents "The Role of Soot in Wear and Friction in Diesel Engines," and his efforts to formulate products to improve engine lubrication. Free for students and first-time guests; $5 others. 7-8 a.m., Room 601, Nedderman Hall. Arlington Technology Association.
Friday, July 13	Summer CPR classes This four-hour class covers first-aid basics, medical emergencies, injury emergencies, environmental emergencies, adult CPR, and AED use. Participants who complete the class receive an American Heart Association certification card valid for two years. Sign up at the services and information desk in the Maverick Activities Center. $40. 1-5 p.m., also Thursday, Aug. 2, Room 102B, Maverick Activities Center. Campus Recreation, Jeremy Roden, jroden@uta.edu.
Wednesday, July 18	Government Procurement Conference Small business leaders have an opportunity to meet local, state, and federal government buyers and their prime contractors. Hosted by UT Arlington Business Extension Centers (Cross Timbers Procurement Center, the SBDC for Enterprise Excellence, and TMAC). $90. 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Arlington Convention Center. Jennifer Wilson, jennifer.wilson@uta.edu, 817-272-5909, Government Procurement Conference.
(For an expanded list of events, see the UT Arlington Calendar.)

Mavs now official members of the WAC

A new era began this month as UT Arlington officially took up residence in the Western Athletic Conference on July 1. The Mavericks join the WAC after almost 50 years in the Southland Conference.

UT Arlington will compete with conference members UT San Antonio, Texas State, Denver, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, San Jose State, Seattle, and Utah State.

In May 2013, the Mavericks will host the WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and the conference baseball tournament will be played at QuikTrip Park in Grand Prairie.

UT Arlington will compete in the WAC for only one year before entering the Sun Belt Conference starting in the 2013-14 academic year.

Maverick All-Sports Pass available now

Students can purchase a Maverick All-Sports Pass for admission to all home sports events and a get free T-shirt, too. The Sports Pass is $50.

To purchase through your MyMav account, follow this map: Student Center>Finance Section>purchase items>Athletics>Maverick All-Sport Pass.

Or write a check to UT Arlington Athletics and note that it is for the Maverick Sports Pass. Send to Box 19950, Arlington, TX 76019-9950 or drop by Suite 1102 of College Park Center. To purchase over the phone, contact Leigh Coggiola at 817-272-0694.

Individual student tickets are $3 each to all athletic events.

(For more sports news, go to utamavs.com, uta.edu/movinmavs, or uta.edu/campusrec.)